How I Train
Lydia Oldham
HOW I TRAIN
In her pursuit of new adventure goals, Lydia decided to run an old pilgrimage route known as the Portuguese Way
Lydia’s biggest run achievement is Projecto Portugal
What’s the hardest race you’ve ever done?
My first ultra, Race to the Stones, in the UK, stands out as the hardest. Having never run a trail race or anything over 50K, I mistakenly believed I had to run the entire 100K without walking. This mental hurdle, combined with my inexperience on trails, led to a DNF at 65K. It was a tough lesson, but with more training and a better understanding of trail running, this distance is now my favourite. Running has truly taught me not to take everything so seriously, and that adventure and perseverance create the best memories. It’s about saying ‘yes’ to new experiences, even when self-doubt creeps in, because no one is truly judging you – the pressure is all in your own head.